Spotlight on the 2014 Lake Garage CLL season

MOHAMMED ZAMAN KHAN . . . hoping to follow up last season’s heroics with the bat.

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CRICKET:

Easter Sunday sees the start of the 2014 Lake Garage CLL cricket season, with matches in the Premier Division and Championship.

This summer’s Premier action features Werneth and Royton, promoted as champions and runners-up from the Championship. Down have come Middleton and Milnrow, who will be locking horns with, among others, Crompton and Oldham.

Here we look at prospects for our local clubs



ROYTON

PROMOTED last season, Royton are aiming for a top-five finish in the Premier division this season.

Pro Ben Dunk’s return may have been cancelled because of injury concerns, but Royton are happy with his replacement, Pieter Malan.

The 24-year-old South African has a fine track record in England, scoring over 1,600 runs for Barrow in the Northern League, and 1,300 and 1,100 for Todmorden in two Lancashire League seasons.

New overseas amateur Luke Stewart arrives on the recommendation of Dunk. The Tasmania University captain should make his share of runs, having scored over 900 for Huntingdon side Ramsey in 2013.


OLDHAM

OLDHAM have a recent tradition of attracting players from South Africa.

The likes of Heino Kuhn and Mark Charlton graced the Pollards before moving elsewhere, so it is

fitting that Oldham have decided to return to their policy of recruiting from there.

The new Oldham professional is 22-year-old, right-hand batsman/wicketkeeper Zakir Kathrada from Cape Town.

Kathrada, who plays first-class cricket for Griqualand West, will be playing his trade in this country for the first time. Joining him at the Paddock is fellow countryman and new Oldham overseas amateur Uzair Walters.

A batsman for Montrose CC, Walters will be asked – as will Kathrada – to make big runs for Oldham.

Oldham had a disappointing 2013, finishing bottom of the Championship with only four wins in 28 games.


Werneth

THEY may have gone up as champions, but Werneth acknowledge they have plenty to prove in the Premier Division.

“Many expect us to go straight back down, but I think we can surprise a few people,” said skipper Matt Taylor.

The higher standard of cricket will certainly make life more difficult than last season, but Werneth have a talented squad spearheaded by experienced professional Mohammed Zaman Khan.

The Pakistan ace scored over 1,400 runs and took more than 50 wickets in 2013 - all with a severe ankle injury that meant he had to hobble between the wickets.

Werneth have a new overseas amateur in Australian opening batsman Levi Thompson-Matthews, who comes to the Coppice on the recommendation of the club’s former professional, Brendan Nash.

And also new to the club will be right-hand batsman Michael Ashworth, whom the skipper knows from his Oldham schoolboys town team days.


CROMPTON

CROMPTON will boast serious firepower as they bid to gain promotion from the Championship this summer.

Not only has top all-rounder Simon Wright returned as captain, but a new professional is in place and two high-class amateur recruits will be on show.

Wright replaces Carl Taylor at the helm following a stint at Bamford Fieldhouse in the Saddleworth League and will oversee a team with lots of batting and bowling options.

Spearheading the assault on promotion will be former Bamford opening batsman Josh Tolley, a prolific run scorer who is quite capable of batting through an innings. Last season in the Saddleworth League, he topped the amateur averages with 814 runs.

Tolley will also add a bowling option with his off spin.

Two more ex-Bamford players., Marlon Black and Mel Austin, will be parading their talents at Glebe Street